Can opener



Dec. 5, 1944. Q w JOHNSON 2,364,219

CAN OPENER Filed July 28, 1943 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 5, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CAN OPENER Carl W. Johnson, Phoenix, Ariz.

Application July 26, 1943, Serial No. 496,193

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a can opener and has for an object to provide a can opener consisting of only three simple parts, a guide, a blade,and `a knob for forcing the blade through a can cover while the guide engages the can to direct puncturing movement of the blade.

A further object is to provide a. device of this character in" which the blade is formed with an integral threaded shank which enters the knob and also 'an integral head or shoulder upon which an extension of the guide is supported, the head having wrench faces to which a tool may be applied to hold the shank stationary while the knob is screwed down tight against the extension on the opposite side thereof from the head to A assemble the parts.

simple and durable parts, which will be inexpensive to manufacture, and which will not easily get out of order.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter full described and claimedgit being understood that various modifications may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification:

Figure l is a side elevation, with parts in section, of a can opener constructed in accordance with the invention, applied to a can.

Figure 2 is a iront elevation of the can opener.

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view of the can opener taken on the line 3-3 of Figure l showing a at side of the shank engaging a fiat wall of the opening in the guide extension to prevent turning of the blade inthe guide.

Figure 4 is a bottom plan of the can opener.

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view showing the can opener in use to form a large puncture in the can. v

Figure 6 is a detail sectional view showing the can opener in use to form a small puncture in the can.

Figure 7 is a plan view of a can showing punctures formed therein by the blade to provide a pouring opening and a vent opening.

Figure 8 is a detail perspective view of the blade.

Referring now to the drawing in which like characters of reference designate similar parts in the various views, I0 designates a can such as a condensed` milk can, oil can or other can. 'Ihe can opener constructed in accordance with the invention is adapted to form a substantially triangular pouring opening II, or a substantially triangular vent opening I2 in the can, see Figure '7. The can opener comprises a guide I3 formed of a blank of sheet metal slightly concave in cross section and provided at its upper end with an outwardly directed extension I4 which projects at substantially a right angle to the guide to overlie the can, and which is substantially at throughout.

The can opener blade 9 is in the form of an inverted pyramid in shape to cut a triangular puncture in the can when forced through the cover of the can. The blade is provided with an integral threaded shank I5 which extends upwardly from the large end of the blade and is provided with a flat side I6. A shoulder Il is formed integralfwith the large end of the blade at the bottom of the shank and is provided with wrench faces I8.

A knob I9, of sufficient size to be nicely received in the cupped palm of the operators hand, is provided with a threaded bore 20 to receive the shank I5. The knob is provided with a at base 2I adapted to engage the upper face of the extension I4 While the shoulder l'l of the blade engages the bottom face of the extension and limits advance of the threaded shank I5 into the opening 20 of the knob.

To prevent turning of the blade in the guide the extension I4 is provided with an opening i5 to receive the threaded shank 20, one wall of the opening being at as shown at I6 of Figure 3 to engage the flat side IB of the threaded shank l5. To assemble the guide, the knob, and the blade, it is simply necessary to insert the shank 20 of the blade through the opening I5 of the extension I4 then screw the knob I9 down onto the shank 20 until it engages the extension I4 and clamps the extension against the shoulder of the blade. The wrench faces of the shoulder permit a wrench being used should the thread of the shank become corroded.

In operation the guide I3 is disposed against the side of thecan With the point of the blade engaging the top of the can where the puncture is to be made. The knob I9 is then grasped in the hand and forcibly moved downward to cause the blade to puncture a pouring opening of suitable size or a vent opening of suitable size. The deeper the blade is driven the larger the opening will be.

From the above description' it is though that sion, a threaded shank for the blade non-rotatably projecting through said opening, a. knob threadedly engaged on the shank, the knob and the blade engaging the upper and lower sides of the extension respectively to clamp the parts of the opener in assembled relation, and a polygonal shoulder formed at the base of the shank to increase the bearing area 0f the connected end of the blade against the under side of said exl 10 tension and to provide a tool engaging means.

CARL W. JOHNSON. 

